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SeVWA’s Third 2014 River Monitoring Day, July 16th – Halfway Point of the Sampling Season

by sevwa.wqmp | Nature

The Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWA) had their third 2014 river monitoring day on Wednesday, July 16th, marking the halfway point of the sampling season. Volunteers successfully collected 26 samples from sites along the West, Williams, Middle Branch Williams and Saxtons Rivers as well as North Branch Brook, Rock River and the Whetstone Brook. Many of the results indicated very high E. colii levels. There were extremely heavy rains in the days preceding which likely washed contaminants from the land into the water resulting in these high numbers. The presence of E. coli in the water indicates a likely fecal contamination by warm-blooded animals. Swimming in water with an E.

Community Service Opportunity For Students

by CurtissReed | Activism

Do you know a student who needs to complete community service hours?

If so, Vermont Partnership for Fairness & Diversity has such an opportunity that would take about three hours to complete.

Have them contact Curtiss at 254-2972. Thanks

Clown Repa Asks Tokpa Dorje a Most Important Question

by Gabriel | Spiritual

One day Clown Repa came before Tokpa Dorje with a very important question. Earlier that morning, Tokpa Dorje had thought that perhaps he’d go for a walk, so he had a disciple bring him his cane. However when he sat up from his common reclining Buddha posture he was struck yet again with the sheer wonder of enlightened manifestation and was so joyously inspired, he hadn’t moved from that position. And so it was like this that Clown Repa found him. Not wanting to disturb him, he sat near some other disciples who were meditating in the room.

After awhile Tokpa Dorje turned to the others and said, “Clown Repa has a very important question that he’s dying to ask and it would pain me greatly if the son died before his father.”

The Case of the Vanishing Farmer’s Market

by KAlden | Food

It seems like the Wednesday Farmers Market located on the Whetstone Path near the co-op is slowly disappearing. Of course it has always been a smaller market that the big Saturday one but today it was really surprising. There were only 2 small farms there-both selling very limited types of produce. No berries to be found anywhere. There was the flower man; a bakery with a few tasty looking morsels. the always popular Thai food truck (with a very long line); there may have been someone selling honey but that was it. Definitely not worth the trip if you weren’t planning on going to the co -op (where I was able to find local blueberries).

Wild Blue, Claremont Winners In Latest CRVBL Action

by CRVBL | Recreation & Sports

The Walpole Wild Blue and the Claremont Cardinals kept their hopes alive for for a first place regular season finish in the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League with victories in their most recent games. The team they are chasing, the undefeated Putney Fossils, return to CRVBL action this weekend.

The defending champion Claremont Cardinals beat a shorthanded Walpole Maples team, 13-1 at Barnes Park in Claremont. Veteran pitcher Mike Wells, kept the Maples off balance all day with an assortment of scuffed fastballs and doctored curves. Wells threw 6 strong innings, allowing one run on three hits, with 6 strikeouts. He also helped himself by starting a nifty double play to stop a possible rally in the 4th inning. The offense was paced by the four hit and five RBI performance of Mr. Nate Duford. Todd Bersaglieri raked three hits and Andrew Sullivan had two more.

Host Family Needed For Teenage Boy From Nigeria

by Not Signed In | Family

Might you be able to help a 15-year old boy from Nigeria who has been accepted at BUHS for the coming school year? Oche is the recipient of a prestigious Kennedy-Lugar YES scholarship from the U.S. State Department for future leaders of countries with significant Muslim populations and will be attending BUHS this fall.

We are looking for a family who could welcome Oche for about 6 weeks, from August 8 to September 20 or so. Host families provide room and board for the student, as well as support and guidance as he adjusts to life in Vermont. He does not need a separate bedroom, as long as you can provide a bed in a room with a host brother and a place to study. As a YES student, Oche will have a monthly stipend for personal expenses and school lunches, as well as medical insurance.

Sunset Canyon on 23rd Street

by Vidda | Travel

I was raised on a small rural farm between two rushing rivers not far from the western shore of the Chesapeake with luxuriant greenery and cultivated fields not even topped by the best of Vermont’s prolific shades of green.

After leaving home and hitchhiking 6000 miles in a Summer of Love east-west-east roundtrip, I ended up in New York City, where I spent most of my adult life.

Now, after seven years as a Vermonter I can indulge myself locally in the greenacres and only look back to recall or revisit my storied life in the concrete canyons.

Brattleboro Time Trade Listings – Week of July 13

by Brattleboro Time Trade | Activism

Brattleboro Time Trade:

Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time.

See below for exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade is all about!

This week’s fabulous listings, brought to you from a quiet evening:

OFFERS:

Citizen’s Awareness Breakfast at the Senior Center July 25th
It’s all about the Bees! (Bee Projects and Education)
Spanish Camps and Classes this Summer
Advantech underlayment flooring FREE
Wood Stacking

Alert Local Foodies – Grafton Food Festival – July 12-13

by Nan Stefanik | Food

Consider meandering up the West River Valley and into Grafton today for the 2nd Annual Grafton Food Festival.

All kinds of happenings under their party tents starting with a Jr Iron Chef competition at 10:30 followed by cooking demonstrations all day long.  More than 20 vendors will be sampling and selling their wares including several local food producers.  There will be a petting zoo and ‘interactive hula-hooping/hoop dance demonstration’ to entertain the young ones.  Today’s festivities run from 10am – 6pm.

Tomorrow’s schedule involves a cooking demonstration by Celebrity Chef Mary Ann Esposito and a farmers’ market on the inn grounds.

Brattleboro OB/GYN Welcomes New Midwife

by BMH | Health

is pleased to welcome new nurse-midwife Meredith Merritt, CNM, to the practice.

Merritt received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Vermont in Burlington and her Master of Science degree in Nursing from Frontier Nursing University in Hyden, Kentucky. She resides in Brattleboro with her husband Peter, their five-month-old daughter Zora, and their dog Gary who came to them through rescue two years ago. Merritt’s hobbies include hiking, running, yoga, traveling, and time spent with her family outside.

Make a Remembrance Flag

by Not Signed In | Family

Community members are invited to come to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St. in Brattleboro on Thursday July 24th from 4-6 p.m. to make a remembrance flag in honor of a loved one who has died. All materials will be provided. Everyone is welcome. These flags are fun and easy to make–no special artistic talent needed! All flags will hang at the Hospice Memorial Garden on Guilford Street during the coming year.

Judy Van Wageningen and Connie Baxter will be your hosts. Refreshments will be on hand to fuel your creativity. Drop-ins are welcomed, but we would appreciate an RSVP call to Joyce at 257-0775 x105 so we can be sure to have enough materials. There is no charge for this event.

EBT Customers: Double Your Money With Harvest Health Coupons at the Farmers Market!

by Not Signed In | Food

The Brattleboro Farmers’ Market announces the arrival of Harvest Health Coupons for EBT customers! Use your EBT card at the manager’s booth at market and get free matching value in coupons- up to $10, per visit.

The Brattleboro Farmers’ Market will have Harvest Health Coupons while supplies last, at both Saturday and Wednesday locations. Use these coupons to stretch your EBT dollars, which can buy fresh berries and vegetables of all kinds, maple syrup, jams, and honey, eggs and meat, fresh breads and granola to take home (EBT and Harvest Health CANNOT purchase hot lunches).

Putney Sits Atop CRVBL As Season Enters Final Month

by CRVBL | Recreation & Sports

After a break over the Independence Day weekend, six of the seven town teams in the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League return to action next Sunday, each of them hoping to gain ground on the undefeated Putney Fossils. The Fossils enjoy another week off after running off nine straight victories to start the season. Regular season play will end in early August with two weeks of playoffs to determine the winner of the 2014 CRVBL Cup.

I Dropped The Ball: On Missed Opportunities During Child Rearing

by Rolf | Family

Recently I was hiking with my wife and boy, up Wantastiquet. We made this hike despite knowing that rattlesnakes have been seen on the trail suning themselves.  The chance to hike in nature, despite such risks, is one of the reasons we live here, and not some nature deprived metropolis. 

During this hike, I had a mission; to get up as far as we could in a certain amount of time.

Morgen, my boy, saw water coursing over the trail and down the hillside, in a little stream filled with rocks. “WOW !”, he said. Can we explore that stream? Can you come with me?” My instantaneous reply was, ” I think you know that we arem’t going to do that right now”. I had my mission, and it was to hike, and I marched farther up the trail.

Brattleboro Time Trade Listings – Week of July 6

by Brattleboro Time Trade | Activism

Brattleboro Time Trade:

Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time.

See below for exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade is all about!

This week’s fabulous listings, brought to you from the White Mountains:

OFFERS:

Fresh Garden Produce
Live Music for Parties, Weddings or Concerts, Fundraisers
from Singer/Songwriter and Guitarist
French Tutor
Citizen’s Awareness Breakfast at the Senior Center 3rd
Friday of the Month
Child Care

SeVWA’s Second 2014 River Monitoring Day – E. coli Results Charts

by sevwa.wqmp | Nature

On July 2nd SeVWA (Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance) successfully collected water samples from all 26 sites along the West, Williams, and Saxton rivers as well as the Whetstone brook. The E. coli results from our second sampling day of the summer can be found in the attached charts.

When reviewing the results please keep in mind that the samples were collected prior to the rain we just experienced and E. coli levels have a tendency to spike after it rains. This is due to run-off washing into the rivers and carrying animal, pet or human waste. The general rule is to wait 24-48 hours after a rain event before swimming in the rivers to minimize risk of waterborne illnesses.

SeVWA’s First 2014 River Sampling Day Was June 18 – See Accompanying E .coli Results Charts

by sevwa.wqmp | Nature

Summer is officially here and Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWA) had their first river sampling day on Wednesday, June 18, 2014. This year there are 26 river and stream sites being monitored by SeVWA. These sites are along the West, Williams, and Saxtons Rivers, as well as North Branch Brook, Rock River and the Whetstone Brook.

This year SeVWA has over 25 volunteers who graciously give their time by waking up early and heading into the rivers to collect water samples for testing. Volunteer involvement ensures that this program continues and we are incredibly thankful for all of their efforts. This first sampling day went smoothly with collection from all 26 sites and samples sent to the lab in a timely fashion. Testing for E. coli bacteria is time sensitive and requires the coordination of many people to be able to test all the different sites in Windham County, with an additional few sites in the village of Chester in Windsor County.